Don't Blame EPA For High Gas Prices, Says Agency's Head

By Kaeun Yu

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson defended her agency Tuesday against claims that stricter regulation has led to an increase in the price of gas.

Speaking at the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s energy conference in Washington, D.C., Jackson argued that high prices are not helping a severely weakened economy recover, but said her agency must be allowed to use the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse emissions.

“There is nothing to fear from common-sense use of the Clean Air Act to begin to put this country in the direction of moving towards addressing our greenhouse-gas emissions,” she said. “I also feel compelled to note that upward pressure is not coming from any environmental or health regulation.”

The EPA has come under fire from Republican lawmakers and oil companies who say the agency has abused the Clean Air Act to deny more offshore drilling. Just yesterday, Shell Oil announced that it would abandon plans to drill off the coast of northern Alaska due to a failure to obtain drill permits from the Interior Department and air permits from the EPA.

Ironically, Jackson’s keynote address preceeded remarks made by the President of Shell Oil, Marvin Odum, who used the words “frustrating,” “disappointing,” and “irresponsible” to describe the agencies’ decisions. The Hill newspaper reported that Jackson left immediately after she spoke, and did not hear Odum’s comments.

During her speech, Jackson argued that America’s dependence on oil from the Middle East is the main factor causing prices to rise to nearly $4 on average.

“This is what leaves us vulnerable…when something changes thousands of miles away, the American people pay for it at the pump,” Jackson said.